UT roster breakdown: Quarterbacks

AUSTIN — When Charlie Strong sat down to watch footage of the starting quarterback he inherited from Texas’ previous coaching staff, he saw a player who lowered his shoulder, took on defenders two at a time and refused to avoid contact, even when given the opportunity.

Then he had a question.

“He asked me what I was trying to prove,” fourth-year junior David Ash said. “Sometimes you’re just trying to get that mojo going. But, there are other ways rather than taking hits like that. He just made it clear that is not what I have to do or how I have to play. I’m going to start being smarter, doing a little baseball practice with sliding, and getting out of bounds. I can’t be taking those hits anymore.”

With Ash’s health the biggest priority for a team that hasn’t enjoyed consistent quarterback play in five years, here’s an overview of the position in 2014:

Even in a career littered with setbacks, Ash has proven to be a productive passer when he’s not hurting. In 28 games he’s completed 63.2 percent of his passes with a respectable rating of 139.93, and he won seven of his last nine starts before a head injury ended his 2013 season in September. He might not have All-American talent, but he owns a strong arm and quick feet, and he’s been good in late-game situations.

The problem is it’s unclear if he can be relied upon to complete a season. In the past two seasons alone he’s been forced to miss time with an injured rib, a concussion and a broken foot. And if he has to sit out at any point this fall, the Longhorns will be forced to turn to an inexperienced quarterback who might not be ready for Big 12 action yet.

For now, the top backup is sophomore Tyrone Swoopes, who underwhelmed in limited action last season and in UT’s spring game last April. The Longhorns remain hopeful that he will become more comfortable and more effective as he adapts to the speed of the college game, but he’s still less than two years removed from a 1-9 season at Class 2A Whitewright.

The other option, freshman Jerrod Heard, assembled a much more impressive high-school track record, winning back-to-back Class 4A Division I state championships at Denton Guyer. His blend of elusiveness and passing ability also made him a higher-rated recruit than Swoopes. But Heard didn’t enroll in school in time for spring practice, which means he’s had the benefit of only three weeks of college practice so far. If a backup is needed, it might be more realistic for Heard to get the call in November than in September.

The last scholarship quarterback on the roster Miles Onyegbule, is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery.